They Attended every Nightdona 500: Stories of the 7 who did
Takes place in February 4th 2010. Transcript Kori: This is a special moment happening here. It is the 70th anniversary of the Nightdona/Florida 500 because it started in 1940. Only 7 people have attended every race from 1940 to 2009 and are already planning on doing it in 2010. They are 101 year old Bob Brown born 1909, 91 year old Jim Carr born 1919, 91 year old Caroline Miller born 1918, 88 year old John Aiken born 1921, 98 year old Barbara Johnson born 1911, 92 year old Bill Brady (NOT RELATED TO THE RACER!!!) born 1917 and 90 year old Sadie Brown (not related to Bob) born 1919. All seven are here with me today. Caroline: Hello. John: Hi other 6 who attended every Nightdona 500 like I did. We are all friends now. Kori: Yeah I knew all of you 7 would get along. Bob: I'm 101 and I still attend. How I still attend? Thank my daughter she helps me get a free Nightdona pass every year since 2003. Kori: Who is your favorite driver? Caroline: I've heard Andrew Axler is really kind to old ladies! Bob: The Hudson Hornet. I wont forget the day he made dust go in my eyes. John: The King Jim, Sadie, Bill and Barbara: The King. Kori: No surprise that five of you have The King as favorite driver. Jim: Have any of us seven known each other?. Well you could say that. since 2008 there was only 8 people who attended every Nightdona 500 but the 8th guy died after the 2008 Florida 500. Caroline: We never met in person however but our families communicated. Bob: I'm glad there are six others I can talk to any time. I feel lonely as my friends are all dead. Its as if the speedway is my last old friend. John: Well you have us. Kori: And me! So now what made you attend the Piston Cup? Sadie: The 1940 Daytona Speedway 500 was a long awaited event. I knew about it and attended and I loved it since. My husband attended from 1946 to 2006 until he died. He too liked racing. John: I remember it well. Well I attended but then I joined the navy but I'm proud to say I have hanged out with Wayneford Rutherford and Ya Chun Fei along with other veterans. Jim: There's a rule in our family. No one is allowed to have a wedding on a Florida 500 weekend. There's no way I am missing it. Barbara: I don't know why i did actually. Bob: I nearly missed one. In 1995 when I was in the hospital. I just ran away to the speedway. Thank god I was released 5 days before I went that year. I don't care how sick am I. The speedway is where i die(Bob did die like he wanted. He died in Nightdona hospital very close to the track just 2 months after this interview) Kori: How much do you think the speedway changed over time. Bill: "Have you ever? No I've never!" "I have never seen anything like that in my life!" and "Boogity Boogity Boogity!" never existed when in 1940 and now there are hundreds of quotes like those famous three. Kori: What are some of the more memorable moments here? Caroline: The lake Lloyd ones. Three drivers fell in it and somehow were alive. I was in the grandstand facing in the lake in 87 and all of a sudden Cole Speedland nosedives in. John: Dale Sr's last lap crash. Barbara: Greg Candyman in 1984. I was in the stands close to the crash area and he hit the wall and I could see him being hit at last 20 if not 30 times. I wish I could have helped him. Bill: Pinkie worshipping Ruby Oaks gets on my nerves and I know what happened here. As for memorable I have to say 1950, 1984 and 1987. to be continued